Roller bearings are rolling bearings with rollers as the rolling elements. These rolling bearings have an inner and an outer rolling raceway, between which the rolling elements are arranged in succession about an axis of rotation axis in the circumferential direction. The rolling raceways are formed by choice either on the bearing rings or on the surface of the stationary component and on the surface of the component to be supported. As the rolling elements it is possible to use cylindrical rollers or needles for the roller bearing, where said cylindrical rollers or needles can also be made with a slightly convex shell, deviating from an outer cylindrical shape. The end faces are preferably flat; as an alternative, they are curved convexly or concavely. Needles are roller-like rolling elements at a ratio of their length to the nominal diameter of the shell that is equivalent to ≧ the numerical value of 2. Preferably the rolling elements are used in a cage that guides the rolling elements in the circumferential direction.
Owing to the manufacturing tolerances and for reasons relating to ease of assembly, radial bearings typically exhibit a radial clearance. In this case the bearing clearances occur in a ring gap between the rolling elements or more specifically between the rollers and their associated rolling raceways. The radial distance between the opposing rolling raceways is the sum of the diameter of the rollers and the radial clearance. Within this clearance the rollers can move radially between the rolling raceways, a feature that can result in a disadvantageous generation of noise. Furthermore, it is possible for bearing positions of rolling bearings with radial bearings to become disadvantageous, for example, when mounting the converter neck of the torque converter by means of an axial offset of the converter neck in relation to the associated component. The net result of this arrangement is a radial runout and, associated with said radial runout, an uneven load on the bearing position or more specifically the roller bearings, a situation that in turn is associated with a disadvantageous generation of noise.
DE 41 34 369 A1 shows a motor vehicle transmission with a hydrodynamic torque converter, wherein an input shaft to the transmission is connected in a rotationally rigid manner to the turbine impeller of the torque converter. A cylindrical extension of the pump impeller of the torque converter forms the converter neck. The pump impeller can be connected, if required, to a primary pump, by means of which the transmission is supplied with hydraulic fluid and the torque converter is supplied with oil. The pump impeller is rotatably mounted by means of the converter neck at a bearing position in a housing by way of a rolling bearing that is designed as a roller bearing. Owing to the axial offset or the tilting of the axes of rotation in the arrangement the bearing positions or more specifically the roller bearings are loaded disadvantageously, in particular unevenly, a situation that is associated with a disadvantageous generation of noise.
FR 27 89 458 A1 discloses a rolling bearing that is designed as a roller bearing for the purpose of mounting a steering column. As a measure to compensate for the bearing clearance in the installed state, the roller bearing comprises an outer bearing ring, which is circumferentially defined by end sections on both sides. These sections are connected locally by means of tabs to a central circumferential section. The section that forms a raceway for the rolling elements on the internal face is guided on the opposite side on the shaft or rather the steering column. Furthermore, the central circumferential section has a curved rolling element raceway, which tapers off in the area of the tabs, in order to have an impact on the bearing clearance, so that the rolling elements are prestressed in an elastic manner in the installed state of the roller bearing.
The object of the present invention is to provide a noise-optimized roller bearing with a reduced bearing clearance.